Liverpool's Anfield was the venue for the 2016 Four Nations Final between Australia and New Zealand.

Australia called on the same starting thirteen which defeated England last week but New Zealand were without Thomas Leuluai who picked up a double-fracture of his jaw in the draw against Scotland last weekend.

The Aussies were massive bookies favourites to retain their crown, win their fourth Four Nations crown, and complete a hat-trick of wins over the last six weeks.

England simply needed to avoid defeat to make it through to next Sunday's Four Nations Final where they would again meet today's opponents, Australia. Any thoughts that Australia would field a weakened side were crushed when they announced their strongest line-up, the Aussies determined to make it a clean sweep of victories in the group stage.

Wayne Bennett rang the changes for England with Kevin Brown, James Graham, and John Bateman all in the starting line up with George Williams moved to the bench after his starring role last week.

New Zealand were playing for a place in the Four Nations Final as they took on a Scotland side playing for pride and a chance to leave the competition on a high.

The venue was a cold and damp Derwent Park in Workington where Scotland made just two bench changes to the side who fought so bravely against England last week, before succumbing in the second half. The Kiwis made rather more changes from the side who lost against Australia last Saturday.

According to the bookies it was all about the New Zealand winning margin, but Scotland hadn't read the script.

The two hundred percenters clashed in the second match of the Four Nations double-header at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Whoever emerged victorious from the next eighty minutes would all but guarantee their appearance in the final at Anfield in a fortnight's time.

The teams last met in the middle of last month, with Australia the victors by 26-6, but the World number one side, New Zealand, would be keen to overcome the old enemy.

Most of the crowd had stayed to watch the worlds best in action and were hoping for a close game.

After losing by a single point against New Zealand last weekend England went into this evening double-header at Coventry knowing that the final could be decided on points difference, and determined for a big win against Scotland.

Steve McCormack's bravehearts travelled to the Ricoh Arena looking to upset the sassenachs and get Scotlands first ever Four Nations points after last weekends big loss against Australia.

England were massive favourites for the win with odds as long as 33/1 on Scotland upsetting the Wall of White.

A masterclass and 24 point haul from Terry Campese saw Italy claim the fourteenth and final place in the 2017 World Cup with a 14-try, 76-0 rout over depleted Russia at the Leigh Sports Village.

The Azzurri now join Fiji and the USA in Group D in the full tournament and will also play a cross-group tie with Ireland.

Campese, who has been in tremendous form over the three qualifying ties is looking forward to the chance to play for his national side in Canberra where he started his junior career, enjoyed success with the Raiders in the NRL, and where he will join ACT side Queanbeyan as player/coach in the run up to the World Cup.

The expectation at a full John Smith's Stadium in Huddersfield was palpable for an English winning start to their four nations campaign against a New Zealand side keen to banish all memories of a loss against Australia a fortnight ago.

England were the slight favourites with most bookies, but there was very little to choose between the two sides as Sam Burgess returned to the international rugby scene as the England captain.

Coach Bennett make a handful of changes to the side who beat France in last weeks friendly, most notably through the inclusion of Dan Sarginson and Sam Burgess, meaning that three of the Burgess brothers would be in action this afternoon.

The Four Nations kicked off at the KC Lightstream Stadium in Hull where Australia started their campaign with a game against a Scotland. It was the first ever meeting between these two nations.

Five new caps for Australia as Mal Meninga decided to blood some of the younger members of his touring squad, making seven changes from the side who beat New Zealand a fortnight ago.

The bookies and the pundits didn't give the Bravehearts any kind of chance ahead of kick-off with Australia 1/100 on for the win and offering 50/1 on Scotland. It was just a case of how good a show Scotland would put on and how close they could keep to the Aussies.

The legacy of the late Jo Cox MP is being kept alive through rugby league with a delegation of VIPs heading to Pakistan to launch a girls’ training initiative in conjunction with schools across West Yorkshire.

Involving BARA (British Asian Rugby Association) founder and former England RL international Ikram Butt, Oasis Lister Academy Headteacher Ian Simpson, and Craig Taylor of Batley Bulldogs, the project will identify 15 girls from Kirklees, Bradford and Leeds. They will be mentored by a collaboration of partners including the Chief Superintendent of West Yorkshire Police Mabs Hussain, Major Marr (Head of Engagement, British Army, Yorkshire & Humber) and Chris Green (founder of the White Ribbon Campaign which campaigns against violence against women & girls) amongst others.

England travelled to the Parc-des-Sports in Avignon for a, pre-four nations, warm up game, the first under the custodianship of Wayne Bennett. Bennett gave five players their England debuts to herald the start of a new era; St Helens' Mark Percival and Jonny Lomax, Hull FC's Scott Taylor, Castleford's Luke Gale, and Stefan Ratchford of Warrington. Stevie Ward missed out on the seventeen after being a late addition to the squad.

This was an important build-up game ahead of the four nations with Australia, New Zealand and Scotland which gets underway next weekend and expectations were high for a big England win against a France side which was essentially the Catalans Dragons.

A late, hat-trick try from winger Aaron Jones-Bishop, from a terrific offload by skipper Wayne Reittie, saw Jamaica pull off a sensational draw with Wales in front of almost 1,400 vociferous fans in Wakefield.

The Reggae Warriors, who led 12-8 at the break, produced, arguably, the most important result in their history, having also beaten Ireland last weekend on their first games in Europe.

Team manager Glenn Morrison was full of praise for his men who cranked up the volume in their dressing room post-match in celebration. “We’ve come a long in the few months we’ve been together and in these couple of games,” he said.

It's official, #Everest4Precky has now started. All 4 planes landed safely into Lukla. What a ride. Seeing Mt Everest just wow. 41 people now ready to do what we have spent 12 months working towards. 11 long & tough days ahead. Your messages are a joy to read, every team member needs them.

A whole season in the making, the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors clashed at Old Trafford in the fight for the ultimate prize, the Grand Final Trophy.

The game was too close to call. Warrington finished atop the pile at the end of the regular season, but Wigan were second. Warrington won two out of three meetings in 2016 but it was Wigan who won the last encounter, a thriller at the Halliwell-Jones, where they stole victory despite being reduced to twelve men.

No-one knew whether this would be the first time that the name Warrington Wolves would be etched onto the trophy, or whether Wigan would be able to end a two game losing Grand Final run. A full-house was all-set for a classic for the nineteenth Grand Final.

All eyes turn to Old Trafford on Saturday evening for the culmination of the 2016 domestic rugby league calendar as Warrington Wolves take on Wigan Warriors for the top prize in the game, the Super League trophy.

The bookies are struggling to choose between the two, making Warrington the slightest of favourites, as the top side in the league take on the team who finished in second place.

Both sides have previous Grand Final experience but only Wigan have their name on the trophy.

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